


What on earth are you wearing?

by DayDreamingIsBetterThanSleeping



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur as the clueless idiot he is, Arthur trying to understand life and failing hilariously, Assassin merlin, BAMF Merlin, Gwaine and Ryan watching the world burn while drinking and cracking jokes, Magic, Merin without the hufflepuffness, Merlin being a little shit mostly, Merlin is so done with Camelot, Queen Anis is awesome, Scars, There is a limit to how dumb you can be, all the magic, assassins are smart af, do u even realize how much shit could have been avoided if the damn dragon had kept his mouth shut, dragon what dragon, like literally everything, may add other tags later, no uther did not keep a dragon in the cellar, so done with Arthurs shit, starring Gwen and Gaius as the royal therapists, what if Merlin could fight and had a brain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-01-17 10:11:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12363438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DayDreamingIsBetterThanSleeping/pseuds/DayDreamingIsBetterThanSleeping
Summary: Merlin was raised by assassins and is a general badass. His mission: gather Information about Camelot and Arthur's skills as the ruler of the kingdom. His conclusion: Camelot was doomed and not worth the trouble.Also Arthur trying to understand why his life sucks and just not getting it.





	1. The Situation

**Author's Note:**

> No idea what I'm doing here. I just thought that it would be nice to have a Merlin who could actually do shit and show Arthur what an idiot he's being. So here, have some badass Merlin who won't cry every time Arthur says something against magic, but kick his royal ass instead.

Pain.

Exhaustion.

Slash.

Don't give in.

Sweat dripping down.

Relentless.

Must not stop - not good enough. Better.

Pain.

Exhaustion.

Grab the knife. Throw.

Mind your footing.

Someone coming? Surrounding. Target? Move.

Must focus.

Concentrate.

Survive.

No fear.

Action.

Reaction?

No time for doubt.

Faster. Pain. Exhaustion.

Slash. Hit. Step back. Sweat.

Not fast enough - wounded. No time to think.

Next hit coming, move, MOVE!

 

  
"My turn."  
Merlin could not help but release a relieved sigh upon the man's words. His current sparring partner was experienced and strong, not giving Merlin any chances to actually harm his opponent. The next one should be easier to deal with, or at least not any more difficult. Treasuring the short break he was given, he watched his new target enter the training area. While some adrenaline - fuelled part of him enjoyed the heat of the battle, the quick reactions and motions of his body and the moment of satisfaction when he landed a hit, Merlin struggled with it as he found it incredibly hard to focus.

 

Intellect and logical thinking had no place in battle. Everyone outside watching could tell when one of his reactions was not the best possible solution and would cause yet another wound to decorate his body, but when you actually fought - you knew that you had no time to think, analyze or interpret the flow of the battle. To survive, you needed the instincts and knowledge of battle that came with life - long experience in combat.

Merlin was barely 15 years old, and one of the best fighters of his age - but these were real assassins, actual fighters, that left the safe training grounds to go out into the real world to fight and complete missions. They were older, faster, stronger and, he reluctantly admitted to himself, probably smarter than him. His reflexes, while excellent for his age, were no match compared to them. He had to adjust and was forced to analyze their fighting style so that he could at least hope to leave the grounds on his own two feet. Still, it was almost impossible to do enough adjusting to survive AND be quick enough to react to his opponent's movements. So far, he had recieved six bigger wounds that would need treatment when this was over. None of them were life - threatening, but slowed him down considerably. Granted, the man now preparing to fight him was the last one today, his fifth sparring partner. Grabbing his knives harder, he went back to his fighting position, awaiting his enemy to make the first move.

 

 

 

Camelot, 6 years later

 

"MERLIN!"

  
Merlin sighed. Five minutes. Just five minutes without someone calling his name expecting him to come running. He was well aware of his position as servant, but still - a little respect and kindness would be nice for a change. But no, here in Arthur's kingdom he had to hide his magic, his talents, his origins, and put up with said royal idiot stomping around corners and muttering about incompetent manservants.

  
"Merlin! Where on earth did you put my red shirt? I need it right now!"  
Merlin turned around to face the angry king. "Last time I saw it, it was in your room, in your cupboard. Have you looked there?"  
"I have looked everywhere, but I can't find it! Where did you put it?"

  
Merlin gave yet another exasperated sigh. He had always been an excellent judge of character, and the character of this particular king was exhausting, to say the least. Walking to Arthur's chambers with the complaining monarch on his heels, he once again questioned the reason he was here.  
He was Merlin, trained assassin and one of the best killers in the land. He spoke five languages, could write and read fluently, was educated in diplomacy, mathematics, philosopy and history. He knew how every kingdom in this land came to be and who ruled it. He knew that most kingdoms had rules that did more harm than good, for example Camelot's laws concerning magic. For he was not only Merlin, he was also Emrys, king of the druids and magic itself. He had a special bond with nature and every being in it. He could speak with animals and plants and even the rocks could whisper to him. When he focused, he felt life all around him, felt the balance that allowed all beings to exist. Merlin walked next to eternity, and he knew it. Death greeted him as an equal and time bowed to him.

  
And here he was, searching for the red shirt of Camelot's king. Sometimes he doubted destiny's plan for him.

  
The mysterious shirt, as it turned out, did not vanish from the face of the earth, it was simply crumpled under the royal prat's bed. Arthur, of course, accused him of throwing it there, but Merlin knew that the majestic ruler of the land simply did not want to admit his messiness. Leaving the annoyed king in his chambers, he exited the room to climb the highest tower in the castle. It was located in the east of it and was rarely used, as it was too small to contain anything or anyone important and no one wanted to climb it on a daily basis. No one except for Merlin, that was. He loved the view from up there, where no one would bother him and he could just be himself for a while.

  
But he was not sent to Camelot to enjoy the view. He had a mission, and he wondered when it would be complete. He missed his friends, his life. True, he lived with experienced murderers, but the knights of Camelot were trained fighters too. He missed his mother and worried about her occasionally, but knew she was safe with the assassins. They took her in when she was pregnant with him, as the villagers of Ealdor threatened to harm her for bearing a bastard. Merlin never knew his father, but Hunith told him that he was a great man and died protecting her from bandits that tried to kill her before she met the assassins. He also knew that he had been a dragonlord, and that these powers now belonged to him. He had never seen the beasts, but was unworried - they would answer to him when the time came.

  
His mission, on the other hand, was something he worried about. Not because it was difficult to accomplish, but because he really wanted it to be over. His companions had asked him to infiltrate Camelot and spy on the king and his son to gather information about the political situation and what kind of king Arthur would be. Merlin knew that it was always difficult to deal with a monarchs that earned their thrones by killing the former rulers - you never knew what they were up to. And the assassins needed to be able to predict the moves of every kingdom in the land to make sure the balance of power could remain intact. They made sure magic still had a place in the world and was not completely wiped out, they secured the survival of the druids and other outcasted people. It was their job to prevent ruthless kings or queens from killing innocent. Still, they were unable to prevent Uther's quick rise to power and the massacre that followed. The blood spilled by Uther's hate had painted the fields red, disturbing the balance and tarnishing the innocence the land had once possessed. That failure had hit them hard, as they could not stop the cries of thousands burning themselves into their hearts.

Now, Merlin was here, in Camelot, the most dangerous place for any magic user. The reason he was chosen for this mission was clear: he was immortal, and he was powerful. He represented the magical community, dragons were his kin and he was one of the best fighters ever trained by the assassins. Camelot with all its soldiers would not harm him - he would raze it to the ground if necessary, and nothing but ruins would remind the people of the cruelties that took place here. Still, he would not resort to such drastic measures if he could prevent it. He was smart enough to know that revenge and blind killing always caused more hatred and anger. Even though he despised Camelot for the things that happened here, he would never let his emotions influence his actions - this was unworthy of him, and he did not want his companions to think that they trained him for nothing.

  
Knowing that Arthur was probably running around screaming his name already, Merlin got up and walked back to his chambers. Of course Arthur complained about him being useless again, all the while pretending he did not need help putting on his clothes. Merlin sighed for what felt like the twentieth time today and prepared the king for the feast that took place this evening. Queen Annis was expected to join them and Arthur hoped to form a better relationship with the intelligent queen, which would hopefully lead to a more prosperous trading agreement. Merlin, for his part, was expected to be in the background, making sure the guests did not run out of wine.

Oh joy.

He often played with the thought to just murder them all and be done with it.

  
Just as he managed to make Arthur look presentable, a servant came running into the chambers to inform them the royal party of Queen Annis had arrived. Arthur hurried outside, while Merlin excused himself to go to his own chambers. The royals would not discuss anything of importance until tomorrow, so he did not need to pick up on any important information. He had almost reached his destination when he was stopped by a kind voice calling his name.

  
"Merlin!"

  
"Gwen! Sorry, I did not see you. Can I help you with something?" He had not seen Gwen for a while now. She and Arthur both had different duties to attend to, and Merlin was with Arthur most of the time. He liked Gwen. When he could finally leave this place, Gwen was one of the few people he might actually miss.

  
"No, it's fine. I can't stay anyway, I need to go and greet Queen Annis. You know Arthur, he has the great ability to insult at least three different kings before dinner without even trying. Who knows where he would be if I did not help him." Gwen smiled at him and he felt a laugh rising in his chest. He and Gwen had developed a certain kind of humor, as they were the people closest to Arthur and therefore knew about his many faults. The only difference was that Gwen loved the man for it.

  
"He'd probably start a war before breakfast and then wonder why there was an army in front of the gates. And he'd lose his documents all the time."

  
Gwen chuckled. "We should talk more often, Merlin. I am starting to miss you."

  
He smiled sadly. "I would love to, Gwen, but you know Arthur. He likes to keep me busy."

  
She sighed and looked at him with regret in her eyes. "I know, I know. I should talk to him about it, I think he's going a little bit too hard on you."

  
Merlin always admired Gwen for her ability to see behind the mask of happiness and clumsiness he put on. She was more intelligent than Arthur and Merlin was happy that he chose her to rule at his side. She would keep him in line and be his voice of reason when he wanted to go on some suicide mission to kill some random beast again.

  
"I'm fine, Gwen, don't worry. Now go, you have a fellow queen to meet and an alliance to save."

  
She laughed at his words. "Fine, I'm going. I will see you at the feast?'

  
"Certainly. Just look for the mysterious hand filling your cup with wine."

  
She smiled at him and went to join her husband, who was probably standing in the courtyard trying to be polite and charming. Which was a lost cause, really.

  
Merlin, for his part, entered his chambers to prepare for his performance at the feast. Arthur had ordered him to wear the stupid servant attire reserved for special occasions again. He felt the irresistable urge to burn the thing and make Arthur eat the feather decorating the hat. He sighed once again and decided to get some rest in his room before he had to go and play the fool again.


	2. The Rescue Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I promised a badass Merlin. So, it's time to start delivering.

"More wine!"

  
It took Merlin a considerable amount of mental strength to refrain from throwing the bottle of wine he carried in the other man's face. Instead, he made a point of walking slowly to the royal table, all the while pretending to be struggling with his balance. It was not enough to make him seem drunk, just enough to make the king believe that he was as clumsy as ever.

  
"Come on, Merlin! We don't have time all day!" Arthur sneered at him as Merlin poured the liquid into the royal's cup. By this time, Gwen's smile seemed quite strained as she sat next to her husband. Both of them knew that Arthur was not quite drunk, the alcohol had only loosened his tongue even further than usual. This left Gwen to politely chat with Queen Annis while Arthur entertained the knights.

  
This was far from unusual. Arthur had a good heart and was brave and loyal to a fault, but he had never been the brightest person to grace the earth with his presence. He certainly wasn't someone Merlin could discuss political manners on an advanced level - that was Gwen's job. Arthur had a talent for diplomacy, he was just too blind to see the consequences of his actions. He won allies by being truehearted and brave, not by being wise or cunning. If Merlin was honest, he thought of Arthur as more of a knight than a king. There were worse kings out there, though.

Since everyone enjoyed the feast, no one noticed the hooded person entering through one of the small entrances at the left side of the hall. Had anyone noticed the figure, they would inevitably notice the quiet but certain footsteps, the broad figure and the heavy bag he carried on his back. But no one did, so no one reacted to the man placing himself in the shadows next to the left table, pushing back the hood and setting down the bag. The face that was revealed belonged to a man in his mid - twenties with a small scar above his right eye and light brown hair. His hard brown eyes scanned the party and finally locked onto his target.

  
Merlin really hated royal feasts. He really, really despised them. Drunk, loud people discussing meaningless things and indulging in a luxury many people he knew would never dream of. Annoyed, he refilled yet another cup of one obnoxious member of Arthur's court. Turning away from the party, he felt someone's eyes on him. His instincts were something he had worked very hard on, and he trusted them unconditionally. With careful movements he set the bottle down on a table loaded with food and refreshments and made sure his hidden daggers were in the correct place. One knife quickly thrown in the right direction and no one would suspect him of being the murderer. He turned around and scanned the room for the potential danger. He did not have to search long - the cause for his uneasiness was staring him in the face. A tall man with brown hair and eyes, looking at him with an unreadable expression.

  
Merlin froze. His eyes never strayed from the man on the other side of the hall, even as the conversations around him quieted and Arthur called his name.

  
The other man, who had been leaning against one of the pillars, stood while he enjoyed the silence that gripped the room. Then there was movement on his face as his unreadable expression shifted into something else -

  
he started to laugh.

 

 

Arthur had enjoyed the evening very much. No really, he had. His beautiful queen was next to him, talking with Queen Annis, while he drank Camelot's finest wine served by his favourite idiot manservant. His life so far was far from perfect. His father was dead, his half - sister betrayed him and was after his throne and his uncle hated him because he blamed Arthur for Igraine's death. Still, against all odds, he managed to secure his throne and rule his kingdom. He made some great changes, like allowing commoners to become knights, but still tried to rule in a way his father would at least find acceptable. He made his peace with the fact that he would never agree with Uther in many ways.

What he kept from his father's rule was the ban of magic. It was an evil force that always tried to ruin him. Granted, he knew of children who created butterflies or of healers who treated seemingly fatal wounds, but still - he had to think of the bigger picture. His kingdom was a lot safer without magic, as well as he himself was.

It was also a lot safer for him to get on Queen Annis' good side, which seemed to work out just fine. So yes, the evening promised to be a success. That was, of course, until that strange man ruined everything.

  
He did not know when the man had entered the hall, and it did not matter to him. What he knew is that the man showed no interest in the royal guest or himself - he showed interest in Merlin. Merlin, of all people! That idiot had barely managed not to spill all the wine he was carrying.

  
Still, when the strange man entered the room, Merlin seemed to be the first person to notice him. Arthur may have quite a bit of alcohol in him, but he was not drunk enough to miss the connection the man and Merlin had, if intense staring was any indication. Calling Merlin's name did not have any effect, even though that was certainly not unusual. Arthur expected the unknown man to do anything, really, except the thing he actually did: he started to laugh.

  
It wasn't a little chuckle or anything, no, it was a heartfelt laugh. Arthur was concerned. The possibility of a knife thrown his way seemed more realistic than a man infiltrating his castle without alarming the guards to laugh at him. Or, more specifically, laugh at Merlin. The reaction of said servant at least was what Arthur was expecting: a confused frown marked his face. A normal, predictable reaction. Arthur could work with that. That was, until the man calmed down and started to speak: "I'm sorry, but what on earth are you wearing?"

  
Merlin looked down on himself, scanning the colourful attire Arthur had forced him to wear. Then he started to grin himself. "If it's any help, I didn't choose to wear this."

  
"I'm sure you didn't. But seriously: What on earth is that?" The other man gave another amused chuckle while he eyed Merlin's clothing.

  
"It's the clothing Arthur chose for me, as his manservant." Merlin grinned.

Arthur did not really understand the situation. It was obvious that Merlin knew the man. Maybe he was a friend from Ealdor. Still, that did not explain why he just appeared and crashed a whole feast without caring about Arthur or Annis at all.

  
"Wait - you're Arthur's manservant? Wow, that's really impressive. He actually made you his personal servant. Doesn't really speak for him, though."

  
Arthur did not really see his point. Yes, Merlin was not the best servant to ever trip over nothing, but he wasn't horrible. He already prepared to defend his judge of Merlin's character before the servant gave a reply of his own:

  
"Yes, I know. It isn't surprising, though, he is quite stupid. I have been his manservant since the first week I arrived here because I saved his life."

  
Arthur was aware that he was gaping, but he could not really do anything against it. Merlin called him stupid! Him! He was the king of Camelot! He ruled an entire kingdom while Merlin's most challenging task was polishing his armour! How dare he call him stupid!

  
"Really? So not living up to his father's reputation then, is he?" The man's expression darkened considerably while asking the question, as well as Merlin's.

  
"No, thankfully not. I'll explain the details later. Can we leave now? If I hear one more royal screaming my name demanding more wine I'm gonna blow the whole castle up."

  
The other man smiled at that. "Sure, but you might want to change first. I'm sorry, but you look absolutely ridiculous." He took the bag he brought with him and brought it to Merlin.

"I brought all your stuff - armour, swords, knives - the whole deal."

  
Merlin rewarded him with a relieved smile as he took the bag and marched toward one of the doors and exited the hall.

  
Arthur realized in precisely that moment that he had absolutely no idea what was going on and that nobody seemed to care about that. He was the king, they were in his castle, he should probably demand an explanation and then behead the unfamiliar man for good measure. That seemed like a good plan until he oserved the intruder more carefully and saw the knives strapped around his thigh. They were black and appeared to be sharp enough to reap life itself. He knew of these knives, though he had never hoped to actually see them. Knives like that marked the assassins. Although nobody knew much about them, it was clear that they were professional killers that kept in the background and randomly decided who should die and who got to live. Arthur did not like them much and certainly did not appreciate one standing in the great hall.

  
The assassin, while waiting for Merlin to return, eyed the speechless party in a relaxed manner. There were several knights present, but they were either too drunk to be a threat or not good enough to fight him, as he stood with his arms crossed and regarded them all with a raised eyebrow. He obviously was not impressed with Camelot's court. That was when Arthur decided that enough was enough. He stood and tried to look as kingly as possible before adressing the man:

  
"You! Who are you to interrupt Camelot's feast? What do you have to do with Merlin? What do you want?"

  
The intruder turned his attention to him. "Lots of questions. Thankfully, I can answer them all in four words: none of your business."

  
Arthur was faintly aware that he was gaping again, but found himself unable to react in any other way.

  
"I'm just here to take Merlin with me. I'll be gone before you know it."

  
Somehow, that was not a great comfort to Arthur.

  
Hearing Gwen gasp next to him, he noticed the dark figure that had entered the hall - it was Merlin. He wore black trousers, boots and armour, carried two sharp looking swords on his back and had an assassin's knives strapped around thigh and arm. He walked with certain, silent steps and seemed to radiate strength and silent determination. Overall, he looked like a killer - not at all like the clumsy servant Arthur knew. And had he always been so muscular?

  
It seemed that the only reaction Arthur was capable of showing today was gobsmacked silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is gonna be Merlin's POV. It will explain details and feature a really badass and Slytherin!Merlin. And one gaping Arthur, but that surprises no one.


	3. The Rescue Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin as the badass I promised. Arthur as the idiot I promised. Gwen as the amazing person she is.

After the first shock, Merlin realized that he should have seen this coming. Ryan was laughing his ass off and he had every right to do so - Merlin knew he looked ridiculous in these clothes. Still, he could not find it in him to be angry - he was too happy to see his friend again. Since the beginning of his mission in Camelot he had not been able to meet with any of his comrades, nor was he allowed to carry weapons that revealed his connection to the assassins. He was well trained and could survive without them, but he missed his armour nonetheless. There was only one reason that could have brought Ryan to him: the elders decided that his mission was over and that he could return home. That meant the end of playing the fool, no more serving, cleaning or laying low. He could return to being his normal awesome self. And if anyone had a problem with that, he really couldn't care less. He was now able to leave Camelot and as soon as he reported back to the others, he would be free to do as he pleased. He could fight properly again and most importantly: he did not have to hide his magic anymore. He was Emrys after all - magic was an essential part of his being. Not being able to use it felt like losing his sight.

  
It was understandable that he was way too relieved to see Ryan to be angry at him. Also, if he had to guess, he would say that the bag his friend brought with him did not contain body parts, but Merlin's beloved weapons.

  
"I'm sorry, but what on earth are you wearing?"

  
Merlin started to grin. He missed the lighthearted banter that had forged a strong bond between him and Ryan. They had known each other since they were little and started to train together. Ryan was not a sorcerer, but he did not have to be - his skills with the sword and bow made him fearsome enough.

  
"If it's any help, I didn't choose to wear this."

  
"I'm sure you didn't. But seriously: What on earth is that?" Merlin felt his grin spread further. It was good to be able to talk to friends again.

  
"It's the clothing Arthur chose for me, as his manservant."

  
"Wait - you're Arthur's manservant? Wow, that's really impressive. He actually made you his personal servant. Doesn't really speak for him, though."

Merlin understood exactly why Ryan was impressed. When an assassin was tasked with an infiltration mission, it ususally took some time to gain the trust of the target. Often the assassin needed months or even years to get the information that was required. And even when they got close enough, they rarely managed to reach a position that could collect information as easily as the manservant.

  
Thinking back to the situation that allowed him to get this close to Arthur, he answered: "Yes, I know. It isn't surprising, though, he is quite stupid. I have been his manservant since the first week I arrived here because I saved his life."

Granted, technically it was Uther who made him Arthur's servant, but Arthur was stupid in enough other ways to warrant his judgement.

  
"Really? So not living up to his father's reputation then, is he?"

Merlin felt sadness and anger rising up in him. He saw himself, sitting on a small lake near the assassin's hidden village communicating with the nature around him. He remembered the cries of the old magic, the screaming trees and breaking stones. He remembered the pictures nature sent him: skies burning red with fire and madness, innocents begging for mercy, thousands trying to flee only to be slaughtered while their despair engraved itself in the history of the land. The assassins, returning from a war across the country, helplessly trying to ease the pain and stop Uther's hatred from poisoning everything in its reach. Merlin remembered the tears streaming across his face, but also nature's reminder not to lose himself in resentment and revenge. Nothing good ever came from it.

The assassins had to be better than Uther. Merlin had to be better. His people strived for peace, yet they killed those who opposed them. Many ignorant fools called them hypocrites because of it, but Merlin knew better. You could always be the better man, have humanity and morality on your side, but in the end you would lose. Those who do not fight fire with fire because they fear the burning will inevitably fall. When a human being was too stubborn or too blinded to see, they needed to be stopped. This was the reason Merlin infiltrated Camelot: to investigate king and mass - murderer Uther Pendragon and his son and calculate the danger the kingdom represented. Basically, his judgement would decide the fate of Camelot: if he deemed it too dangerous, the assassins would raze it to the ground to build it anew from the ashes. Ryan knew of Uther's death and used the question to subtly ask for Merlin's judgement - his answer would allow Ryan to know if he needed to prepare for war tomorrow.

  
"No, thankfully not. I'll explain the details later. Can we leave now? If I hear one more royal screaming my name demanding more wine I'm gonna blow the whole castle up."

  
The smile the other man gave did not purely come from amusement, Merlin recognized a good deal of relief in it. Against common belief, assassins did not actually enjoy war. They did not even enjoy killing, they just did what was necessary to maintain the balance. After they failed to prevent the great purge, the balance was disturbed. It mended after the purge ended, but slaughtering all of Camelot or ruining the kingdom by killing their leader would upset it again. Therefore, their actions had to be carefully planned and should try to protect the balance at all costs. Should it be disturbed again, everyone would suffer the consequences. Nature would cry and cause storms, earthquakes and droughts. Innocents would starve, lose their homes and their children would scream. They would not risk that happening again over the desire for revenge.

  
"Sure, but you might want to change first. I'm sorry, but you look absolutely ridiculous." He gave Merlin the bag he had been carrying. "I brought all your stuff - armour, swords, knives - the whole deal."

  
Finally. Grateful, he took the bag and made his way out of the hall. He was unworried about Ryan. The man had nerves made of steel and could handle a room full of uninformed royals and their knights. If anything, he should be worried about Arthur's health, though he really wasn't. Ryan understood Merlin's message and knew that spilling blood was unnecessary. Turning his attention toward his possessions, he started to change. After losing his clothes, he inspected the rune painted on his left foot. He placed it there to alter his looks, which made it much easier to infiltrate enemy territory. Smearing it, he felt the magic release itself and noticed the changes his body made. He became more muscular and stronger and his hair became longer. But most importantly, his scars appeared on his skin again. He had countless scars, some from his training, but most from real battles. Not that he minded - he healed incredibly fast and was immortal anyway. His wounds might scar, but they never damaged him permanently. Still, he enjoyed looking the way he originally did and stretched, testing his muscles. Satisfied, he put on his armour and armed himself with his two swords and the knives he loved so much. He had gotten them when he was little and still treasured them. Granted, every assassin got weapons when they were mature enough, but they felt like a part of him and he had missed them almost as much as magic. Fully armed, he returned to the hall. He was ready to leave Camelot and could not wait to finally see his home again.

  
Upon entering the hall, he heard Gwen gasp at his appearance. He knew he looked different, but he still felt kid of flattered. Arthur, for his part, seemed to be speechless - Merlin considered this something Arthur should be more often.

  
"I'm ready. Can we go?"

  
Ryan regarded him with a satisfied smirk. "In a minute." With that, he turned around and addressed Queen Annis. Merlin noticed that she did not seem too surprised upon the events interrupting her evening. "My Lady, I hope we did not cause too much trouble. May I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

  
Now it was Merlin's turn to smirk. Of course. He knew that Ryan had been tasked with a mission similar to his own, but he was asked to spy on Queen Annis. If his memory did not fail him, then he had been one of her best knights. When the time came and he revealed himself, in the same way Merlin had revealed himself tonight, she showed great intelligence and instead of being furious, she questioned him about his origins and principles. Ryan had been surprised, but vaguely explained the purpose of the assassins. Queen Annis, impressed with his skills and curious about his people, suggested an alliance with them. Now, Queen Annis and was one of the few rulers that supported the assassins. In exchange, she was warned when another kingdom was planning to attack her or was protected when someone tried to harm her. She was not informed enough to threaten them, but she allowed small villages of assassins in her kingdom, which made it much easier to travel.

  
"Ryan. Of course not. To be honest, it is quite entertaining to witness this happening to another kingdom." Her intelligent eyes focused on Merlin. "Not quite a fool, as it seems."

  
Merlin bowed to her. "I am afraid not, your Majesty."

  
Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "I trust that my alliance with Camelot is not in danger?"

  
He smiled. "No, my Lady. I was merely observing the king and his court."

  
He could tell the exact moment that Queen Annis realized that he was a possible source of useful information and the moment she decided to use this opportunity. "And what have you found here, assassin?"

  
The smile never left his face as he calculated the risk of giving up information and the consquences of him spilling his knowledge. He had just decided not to tell anything, when he accidentally looked at Arthur's gobsmacked face. It took every piece of self - control he had not to burst out laughing. Amused, he decided to teach the king a lesson before he left.

  
"The king is brave, loyal and truehearted. He always tries to do the right thing. He follows his honor and instinct."

  
Arthur seemed to slowly regain his composure.

  
"Unfortunately, he is naive and trusts way too easily. He has been decieved by his father, sister, uncle, wife and of course by me. He rarely thinks before he acts and consequently always acts rashly. He is unobservant and tends to be rude. He does not understand the importance of subtlety and fails to recognize his father as the cruel, blinded man he was."

  
Forget the composure.

  
"I used magic behind his back to save his life for about fourty times and he never suspected anything. His own sister had magic and plotted against him and he never saw it coming. He cannot prevent things from happening, he can only react to them."

  
By this time, Arthur's complexion had become so pale that it matched the walls behind him. He stood before him and could not comprehend what Merlin had just so bluntly admitted. Annis, for her part, raised an eyebrow at him: "A sorcerer? Impressive. And risky. Arthur would have -" She was interrupted by said person adressing Merlin in a rather rude manner:  
"Merlin, what are you talking about? You're not a sorcerer! I would have known!"

  
Merlin shot an impatient look at the king. "Yes, Arthur, I am a sorcerer, and quite a good one at that. Try to keep up."

  
If he kicked Arthur in the face, he probably would have gotten the same reaction.

  
"That - that can't be true! It's not possible! You're clumsy and stupid and -"

  
"And a sorcerer. Now if you don't mind, I was talking to Queen Annis." With that, he ignored the king and focused on Annis again. "You were saying?"

  
Before the Queen could inform him of what she was saying, Arthur pushed back his chair and stormed out of the hall, not willing to deal with this situation any longer. Gwen stood and after shooting an uncertain look at Merlin, attempted to follow her husband, but was stopped by Merlin's voice:  
"Arthur's queen, on the other hand, is much more intelligent than him. She is perceptive, clever and compassionate, as she used to be a servant and understands the situation of the poor. She will help Arthur with the subtlety he is lacking."

  
Gwen turned around to look at him. Merlin tried to convey an "I'm sorry" with his eyes - everything he had said was true, but he also knew that him being an assassin and keeping the secret from her would damage their friendship forever. Gwen and Arthur probably thought that he would give all the information about Camelot's political position and its weaknesses to enemies, when he simply gathered the knowledge to pass it on to the elders. His mission was not one of war, but one of peace and understanding. Granted, had Arthur been like his father, it might have ended with a battle, but here he was just a spy - not a soldier.

  
Annis looked at him with perceptive eyes that spoke of her understanding of the situation. "I will explain as much as I can about you and your task, if you allow me to do so."

  
Merlin looked at her and considered his options. Annis would explain his origins, but not his personal history. She knew about the organisation, but not about their plans. He could just follow the protocol and leave, which would result in Arthur not knowing anything about him and being more careful with his surroundings in the future. He would never tell anbody else of the events that occurred tonight, as no one who had been "visited" by the assassins ever spoke of them again - it was too embarassing to admit how easy their kingdoms were infiltrated. It would make Camelot look weak. Arthur might try to guard the castle better, but Merlin always liked a challenge.

  
He sighed. He knew Arthur well, better than almost everyone, and knew that while he was rather stupid, his loyalty knew no bounds. He might blame himself for Merlin's betrayal and he was not strong enough to overcome possible feelings of self - hatred. Merlin was the one who fulfilled the mission, meaning it was up to him to decide what was the best course of action for himself and the kingdom he had been guarding.

  
Looking at Annis, he answered her question: "You may tell him what you know. If nothing else, it will stop him from fearing for his kingdom or try to find me."

  
The queen nodded. "I understand. I shall try my best to secure his understanding of your kind and your intentions."

  
He thanked her and turned to look at Ryan, who had placed himself on the table. "I think we're done here. Ready to leave?"

  
"Quite ready, but it seems we have a little problem here."

  
Merlin turned around to look at Camelot's knights who had placed themselves around them, forming a circle around the table. Upon hearing Merlin admit his magical abilities and seeing their king leave in shock, they must have decided to kill the traitor and his friend. Eyeing them with a relaxed expression, Merlin made a point of slowly drawing his swords, while Ryan did the same.

Things were about to get ugly around here.

  
"No fatal wounds. There's no need to upset Arthur even further", he said quietly. Ryan nodded his understanding.

Annis' knights seemed uncertain until their queen gave them a sign to stand down.

  
Advancing with a loud battle cry, Merlin and Ryan found themselves surrounded by eight angry knights of Camelot.

 

 

Arthur did not know what to think. He felt like he was trapped inside a horrible nightmare. His manservant, and, if he dare say so, his best friend, had betrayed him and revealed himself as a sorcerer right in front of him. He was too shocked to feel anything. Distantly, he noticed Gwen talking to him, but he could not understand what she was saying. He needed time to think, to deal with this.

Merlin, an assassin? Merlin, a sorcerer? It didn't make sense.

Just as he tried to clear his head, his battle senses informed them that there was a fight going on in the very hall he just left. His knights must have attacked Merlin and this other man. Merlin! Arthur's instincts kicked in and he stormed back to the feast. Merlin was in danger, his knights were fighting. He was not sure what he would do when he got to the battle, but he needed to get there. Finally, he entered the room, only to find a shocking image.

  
Merlin and his friend were surrounded by eight unconscious knights. He could see that some of them were bleeding, but they seemed to be alive. The most disturbing thing were the two men standing: they were smiling in a very unsettling way, like they had just told each other their deepest secrets. Then Merlin spoke up:

  
"You know what? It's really good to be back."

  
With all the stress this evening, the alcohol, and the shocking betrayal of the one he trusted the most, Arthur did the only thing he could think of as he saw his manservant standing victorious over his knights: he took a step back and fainted.

  
Watching the king fall over quite ungracefully, Merlin raised an eyebrow and turned to his companion: "He has better moments, I swear."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, next is gonna be more about Merlin's world and how the assassins work. Also, Arthur tries to regain his dignity and fails miserably. Don't worry though, he'll make it through this alive. Probably.
> 
> Also, I finally structured this shit. I hope you can read it easier now.


	4. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin is home. But what is home for a secret mass-murderer with almost unlimited magical powers? Why, awesome of course.

Taking the first step outside of Camelot's lands, Merlin had to admit he had missed this terribly. The freedom of wandering, unworried about mind games, betrayal or the location of a certain royal prat's favourite shirt, felt overwhelmingly amazing. Camelot and all its people behind him, home up front promising food, drink and friends. Merlin looked behind his shoulder to see Ryan grinning at him. 

"Nothing like being on the road again, huh?"

Merlin smiled at him. "Nothing like feeling like yourself again. I know I am not supposed to complain, but heaven forbid- I thought you would never come and the elders would leave me to rot in Camelot washing Arthur's clothes and cleaning his chambers forever." 

Ryan laughed at him while they wandered through the forest marking the end of Camelot's borders and the beginning of the wild lands. No civilization could be found here, just thick impenetrable forests and trees that may or may not be a tiny bit more alive than usual. Here, in this small land squeezed between several kingdoms, was the home of the assassins. Here, shielded from the outside world by the old magic, lived and worked the most feared human beings Albion had ever known. 

When questioned, people would imagine cold dungeons, buildings bare of anything resembling beauty and a merciless, cruel atmosphere. They would whisper about the sound of steel clashing against steel being heard day and night, about the screams of the wounded and the ones being punished for not fulfilling the assassins' expectations penetrating the woods. They would mention bones bleaching in the torture rooms and a constant smell of rotten flesh.

They probably imagined Merlins people drinking blood out of the skulls of their defeated enemies as well. Merlin had discovered that people spent a whole lot of their time imagining things about something they usually knew absolutely nothing about.

Not that the assassins did anything to discourage these rumors. It secured their safety, even though that was hardly necessary. Still, in case of yet another king deciding that he, for the glory of his empire (and himself), should finally defeat the assassins, half his army would already have decided to quit the military life to become farmers or preachers before said king even finished announcing his plans. The fearsome reputation saved a lot of lives in case of war, since nobody actually wanted to fight the best killers in the land. 

For Merlin, the place he was going to meant safety, warmth and balance. Order and discipline, yes, but for true strength that was necessary. The atmosphere of the place was one of a quiet determination to do right. The pressure, but also the reassurance that it was an organization to save, protect, fight and yes, to kill. Everyone knew their place and task, the responsibility of deciding the fate of whole peoples a heavy burden on everyone's shoulders and yet the very bond that tied the assassins together. And so it was that he looked foward to reuniting with his friends and also, his mother. He would have to meet the Elders in due time and inform them of the outcome of the mission, but he was determined to at least visit Hunith before he did so. Smiling at the thought of her, he made a point of walking faster to show Ryan his impatience.

"Hey, relax. Wouldn't want you to exhaust yourself before we are even there." Ryan smiled at him and fastened his pace in an effort to keep up. 

"Me? Exhaust myself? I'm sorry, have you met me? I am never exhausted."

"Oh really? So what was that one time when we were having a race and after it, if I remember correctly, you collapsed on me muttering something along the lines of 'I'm too tired for this'? Maybe you were just pretending to faint and I just didn't notice?"

Scowling at him, Merlin turned to answer. "I'll have you know that I did not get much sleep that night and was not ready for getting a bucket full of water splashed in my face because you desperately wanted to race me at sunrise. What was up with that, anyway?" 

Ryan grinned even more, now. "Well, honestly, it was a bet. You know, with you being the legendary powerful Emrys and all, Leya dared me to disturb the, as she called it, 'nap of the great one' and see what happens. I actually didn't want to race you, it just seemed like a good idea to run from you in case you were pissed. Imagine my surprise at the great Emrys coming after me only to faint after like what, seven seconds?'

"More like eight minutes. I told you, I was really tired and my body, as immortal as it may be, still didn't like the sudden movement. It was absolutely natural. Also, I didn't faint. I merely fell asleep again because I considered sleep more important than a stupid race or petty revenge on your person."

"Lucky me, then. I really do not care to witness your anger again. By the way, I forgot to mention: you are to report to Isa when you have some time."

Merlin arched an eyebrow and looked at Ryan. "Did she say why?"

"No clue, and I wasn't about to question her. I value my continued existence."

Merlin shrugged. Oh well, no need to worry about it now. First coming home, the visiting his mother, then reporting to the Elders, then finding out what Isa wanted. Isa was one of the most important members of the assassins as she was the best fighter they had to offer. No one really knew where she came from, but from the moment she arrived, she had been able to kick everyone's butt. Multiple times. Her skills and fighting style were completely different from what people in these lands had ever seen before. Some of Merlin's friends murmured that she was able to catch knives without seeing them and that she knew every move an opponent was going to make before they knew it themselves. Occasionally, she gave special training sessions to improve the skills of the students she deemed worthy, so Merlin had a faint idea of her business with him. She was quite a legend for herself and often a voice of reason that the Elders greatly appreciated. 

Though Merlin did not actually know what she would want with him, he cherished the time he spent with her. She always seemed so sure of herself and her surroundings and he had yet to witness her losing control. Somehow, just being near her calmed him.

"Hey, stop the thinking. I can practically see the wheels in your head turning. If you'd pay any attention to your surroundings you would have noticed we're here." 

Snapping out of his thoughts, Merlin turned to admire the view of his home. Now that he stopped focusing on his mind, he could hear the faint whispers of the nature surrounding him, could hear them welcoming him home. Taking a deep breath, he allowed himself to relax and accept the fact that he was safe and protected. Standing on a small hill, he took in the magnificent view of the place that so many people feared. 

The assassins' home truly was a view to capture people's eyes. Located next to a mountain, the community was a bright and lively mixture of all kinds of creatures, peoples and, of course, magic. From where he was standing, Merlin could already spot at least 27 different spells being used to grow trees, repair damage on a building, sharpen swords or strengthen the magical barrier. Said barrier was barely visible and kept travellers away. Should anyone without magical powers ever walk into it, their senses and memory would be clouded so that they would suddenly remember they had a distant weird relative three kingdoms away that they absolutely needed to visit right this moment. Usually they were at least two weeks away before they noticed the lack of said weird relative. Sorcerers or magical creatures however could notice the barrier, but could not pass or view through it without the assassins' permission. They could only see a mountain bare of any kind of life except the occasional squirrel or bird. For those who carried the tattoo made by the druids were able to pass the shield and view the beauty that was found behind it. So it was that Merlin and Ryan did not see a lifeless forest, but a place of magic and peace. 

The buildings were made of wood and rather small, while the tents nestled in between varied in sizes. There were colourful decorations, magical items and small glowing lights fluttering around. A green spider of the size of a small cow helped two children by fetching their ball which accidentally landed on top of a roof. Crawling down, it delivered the children's ball and clicked its fangs together. Merlin, thanks to his special understanding of nature, knew that the spider had asked the children to be more careful in the future. The children, on the other hand, thanked the spider but continued to kick their toy around in a way that Merlin would describe as "daring". Stopping for a moment and catching the ball which was flung in his direction, he got on eye level with the two little boys and said: "Hey, be more careful. She does not have the time to get your ball for you every time you lose it." 

The kids stared at him wide-eyed before one screeched: "SHE?" 

The other and older one turned around to face the spider: "We're very sorry! We will be more careful from now on." 

The spider clicked its fangs again and the boys looked at Merlin expectantly. Merlin chuckled. "She says it's fine. She likes you two. Just try to be a bit more considerate." 

The two nodded and continued to play, albeit more careful. The eight-legged creature on the other hand focused on him: "Emrys. It is good to have you back. I trust your journey did not lead you astray and you found what you were seeking?"

Nodding to her, Merlin answered: "I thank you for your concern. My journey was successful, as I was blessed with your best wishes. I trust you are well?" 

Ryan, who only saw a giant spider and his friend making weird and slightly creepy clicking noises, raised an eyebrow at the two. After another two minutes of what he assumed was onversation about spider-related topics (So you caught HOW many innocent creatures in your web today? Oh my, you are amazing!) the weird creature went on its way and Merlin returned his attention to him. "So, anything interesting? I hear the gossip of spiders is especially... juicy."

"Nope, just formalities."

"Mmm. Have you told her that you catch more flies with honey than with webs?"

"No."

"Did you discuss the latest knitting trends?"

"Stop."

"You're no fun."

"And you're not funny."

"Ouch. Why must you hurt me this way?"

"Because you are a dumbass?"

"Fair enough."

Rolling his eyes, Merlin decided ot was time to say goodbye to his friend - for now. "Ryan, I want to visit my mother before I announce my presence to everyone and report to the Elders. I'll see you at the tree in half an hour?"

"Sure thing. I'll grab some food and meet you there." 

Taking his leave, Ryan nodded at him once more and disappeared. Taking a deep breath, Merlin entered the inner circle of his home. The center of the village was a massive tree in which the leaders and the most powerful sorcerers lived. The formal meeting place of the Elders and the training grounds of the assassins were in a cave built inside the mountain. Outside here was the peaceful area for the people, constantly growing and buzzing with life.

Merlins mother had, even though invited into the tree, preferred to stay with them, enjoying the company and taking care of the new arrivals. Making his way through the small buildings and tents, he was greeted by several druids and sorcerers, recognizing him immediately. He smiled at each of them and finally reached a colorful and comfortable cottage made of wood and decorated by plants. Happy and relieved he knocked at the door. It had been a long time since he last saw his mother and he had missed her. Opening the door, Hunith gasped in surprise and, with tears of joy in her eyes, hugged her only son.

"My boy! I am so glad to see you! How are you? Are you hurt? Since when have you been back?"

"I have only just arrived, and don't worry, I'm fine. I can't stay long, I need to talk to the Elders, but I wanted to visit you first."

Lovingly cupping his cheek, Hunith smiled at him. "Look at you... so grown up now. So strong. I am very proud of you, Merlin. Thank you for coming to me, but I don't want to keep you from your duties. We'll catch up when you have some free time, alright?"

Merlin nodded. "It might take a while though. Isa has asked for me."

His mother looked at him in surprise. "Isa? Oh my. Then it must be important. Don't worry, you can come anytime. I know you are here and safe, that is the most important thing. But promise you won't forget to come to me once in a while, if that is alright with you?"

"Of course. As if I would ever forget you." Smiling at her, he embraced her once more and turned to go meet his leaders. Hopefully the old ones would let him have a few minutes of peace before the next suicide mission was due.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIVE! More or less. Sorry for not updating so long. But I'm not that sorry as I moved like three times in a years' time and had the biggest fight in the history of unnecessary parent-child-conversations. Well. Also, I have three new ideas for different fandoms as I am interested in literally everything. Soooooo, I might start another fic, but I won't abandon this one. I love Merlin way too much for that and I want some serious ass-kicking done in the next chapter. This one is so nice, it doesn't really suit me all that much. Also, I'm gonna include Arthur and his injured self-respect in the next one. Let's just say, Gwen and Gaius are gonna have a marvellous time.  
> And by the way, sooner or later I'm gonna let Ryan and Gwaine clash together. I'm pretty sure the universe will implode, but meh. Worth it.


End file.
